This invention relates to a magnet receptive tape.
Wall coverings exist that create a magnetically interactive surface. For example, a magnetic board made of steel sheet may be mounted to a wall, permitting magnets to be appended on the wall for entertainment and business purposes. While such articles are useful, they are cumbersome, heavy and difficult to transport. Moreover, they are expensive to produce.
It is also known to use a magnetic paint to create a magnet attracting surface. Such a paint may contain ferromagnetic particles and be applied to the wall. However, painting a wall with magnetic paint is time consuming. Moreover, like the magnetic board, such a surface is difficult to remove once applied. Indeed, typically, the surface with the magnetic paint is left permanently on the wall after its use.
A significant problem encountered in the development of magnetically attractive surfaces is the need to apply a sufficient amount of magnetic receptive material, such as a layer of ferromagnetic coating, without increasing the thickness, weight or inflexibility of the surface. In the case of the magnetic board, the sheet comprises a layer of steel sheet. Accordingly, the board has the heaviness and inflexibility of the steel sheet.
As to the magnetic paint, the layer of ferromagnetic material is formed as a paint coating. The painted surface, such as the wall, provides the supporting structure or substrate for the paint coating. Again, the supporting structure for the magnet receptive materials is rigid and heavy. The foregoing magnet receptive surfaces are greatly limited in the scope of their use.
A need therefore exists for a medium that offers the benefits of a magnet receptive surface while offering greater flexibility in the medium""s application.
The invention comprises a magnet receptive medium, such as a tape, comprising a sheet with two sides and a porous interior between the two sides. The pores are such that pathways exist between the surfaces that permit magnetic particles of a predetermined size to pass from the surface to the interior. In this way, a non-magnetic sheet may be imbued with magnetic qualities, either magnet receptive or magnetized. Thus, the sheet can retain many of its original qualities including lightweight, flexibility, and transportability.
A binding agent may be used to secure the magnetic particles to the interior of the sheet. The binding agent may have a fluid state and a solid state. When the binding agent is in fluid form, it is mixed with the magnetic particles of the fluid. A bath of the mixture is drawn for the sheet, which is allowed to soak up the binding agent and the magnetic particles. The sheet is then removed from the bath. When the binding agent dries, it binds the particles to the pathways of the interior. Because the particles are bound to the interior, the sheet may be magnetic receptive without appreciably increasing its thickness or weight.
An adhesive layer may be applied to one or both surfaces of the sheet. The magnet receptive sheet may be thus appended to a surface, such as a wall. The adhesive may be pressure sensitive and comprise a layer of adhesive particles. Such an adhesive could permit the sheet to be applied to a wall, removed and then reapplied to the wall or another location.
The sheet may be woven or non-woven depending on the particular use for the magnet receptive sheet. It may also be flexible to permit it to be rolled up in a tape roll for ease of use and transportability. The sheet may also be made of non-magnetic material, such as plastic. A great variety of materials may be used to support the magnetic material.